Approximately 1000 Watts of power in the form of solar radiation strike each square meter of the Earth's surface. Means for converting this solar energy into useful electricity, often referred to as solar cells, are well known. Unfortunately, such solar cells are currently made in the form of thin sheets or panels. Such panels are typically rigid, expensive, and delicate and may degrade under prolonged exposure to the elements. This makes solar cells unattractive for large-scale energy production. It would be greatly advantageous to provide solar cells in the form of a flexible, portable, versatile, light-weight, and multifunctional material that can be used to make energy-producing electronic textiles for clothing, tent material, sail material, and energy producing fabrics that can cover a wide variety of objects of various shapes and curvatures. However, such a solar cell material requires a solar cell fiber that can be knitted, woven or otherwise formed into a flexible fabric. Unfortunately, no solar cell fiber presently exists.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a solar cell material that overcomes the above disadvantages and a corresponding need for methods and apparatus for producing such a solar cell material.